Panorama Britain on the Fiddle

GlasweJen

Dark pool, the programme was inaccurate. I've claimed disability since I was 16 years old up until 3 days ago. I have never not had a job in that entire time and I've completed an undergrad degree and a masters in that time, I've not committed fraud at all and I'm currently not receiving DLA as I've been in hospital for over a month, if things go well I might not need it in the future but the new heart only solves half a problem (and that's if it takes).

Fair enough people do commit benefit fraud but DLA is an allowance for disabled people to help them live either by getting them help with their personal care needs, helping them get out and about or both. It is not (and it never has been) an out of work benefit.

tottybum

GlasweJen wrote: »

Dark pool, the programme was inaccurate. I've claimed disability since I was 16 years old up until 3 days ago. I have never not had a job in that entire time and I've completed an undergrad degree and a masters in that time, I've not committed fraud at all and I'm currently not receiving DLA as I've been in hospital for over a month, if things go well I might not need it in the future but the new heart only solves half a problem (and that's if it takes).

Fair enough people do commit benefit fraud but DLA is an allowance for disabled people to help them live either by getting them help with their personal care needs, helping them get out and about or both. It is not (and it never has been) an out of work benefit.

But on the other hand someone with a spine problem wouldn't normally be seen as being able to sail single handed in a yatch across the Atlantic!! Why are people so defensive about the disabled?

Richie-from-the-Boro

tottybum wrote: »

But on the other hand someone with a spine problem wouldn't normally be seen as being able to sail single handed in a yatch across the Atlantic!! Why are people so defensive about the disabled?

- ANDY - who / which / point out this very one person in the thread to me please who defended the individual who """sailed single handed in a yacht across the Atlantic !!"""

keith1950

Fair enough people do commit benefit fraud but DLA is an allowance for disabled people to help them live either by getting them help with their personal care needs, helping them get out and about or both. It is not (and it never has been) an out of work benefit.

The point that upsets most people I know is that the monitoring of peoples level of 'disability' is almost non-existant or at the best very random.

We all know of people who have physical disabilities and who failed to get DLA and then on the other hand of people who live very active lives and do receive it.

The country is in a financial mess and the threshold where DLA is given should be raised. There should be more stringent medical tests to reduce the numbers claiming.

The example in the program of someone playing golf is a prime example, if your fit enough to play golf DLA or other benefits should be withdrawn.

It is the system that is flawed, it's only human nature that people will take advantage of the situation, the system needs changing drastically.

24skins

keith1950 wrote: »

The point that upsets most people I know is that the monitoring of peoples level of 'disability' is almost non-existant or at the best very random.

We all know of people who have physical disabilities and who failed to get DLA and then on the other hand of people who live very active lives and do receive it.

The country is in a financial mess and the threshold where DLA is given should be raised. There should be more stringent medical tests to reduce the numbers claiming.

The example in the program of someone playing golf is a prime example, if your fit enough to play golf DLA or other benefits should be withdrawn.

It is the system that is flawed, it's only human nature that people will take
advantage of the situation, the system needs changing drastically.

Are you seriously suggesting that people who are fit enough to play golf should have their benefits refused? Where does that leave people with Down's Syndrome, severe epilepsy and/or Autism?

exprog

tottybum wrote: »

But on the other hand someone with a spine problem wouldn't normally be seen as being able to sail single handed in a yatch across the Atlantic!!

You may have missed the statement from the guy's lawyer at the end denying that he was alone and stating that he had help. Perhaps it was the same person who did the filming.

Very amusing thread though.

aliasojo

mealone wrote: »

He admits he laughs at all the people who take his posts seriously, its his sport and this weekend he is having a real good laugh at the posters on these threads and I dont like to be laughed at so I have posted his identity.

If this is the case, then I feel a bit of a fool as I was one of those who had been replying seriously.

Oh well. I guess we meet all sorts in this world.

I hope I helped provide some amusement, bit of a waste otherwise.

margaretclare

tottybum wrote: »

Yes you fully understand the situation correctly. My wife is also disabled. In the main I am generally always in the car so the use of my blue badge is correct. She has arthritis and I have PAD which is blood clots in the arteries in both legs which make walking for both of us very difficult.
When she goes shopping she likes to be on her own, so uses my badge at Tescos. It is pretty apparent that she has mobility problems for all to see.

For the number of times that she isn't with me in the car is not worth going through all of the paperwork and assessment to get another blue badge for herself. We only have one car.

What absolute nonsense. Your wife sounds to be as eligible for a blue badge as you are, so I can't understand why it's 'not worth the bother'.

I don't drive all that often nowadays, mainly because DH cannot get into the passenger side of the car, and yes, we only have one. However I'm very glad that I have my blue badge. There have been occasions when I've needed to drive urgently and would never have been happy using his.

akabee

tottybum wrote: »

But on the other hand someone with a spine problem wouldn't normally be seen as being able to sail single handed in a yatch across the Atlantic!! Why are people so defensive about the disabled?

Why?

Becoming the first quadriplegic sailor to cross the Atlantic has been more than a physical challenge for Geoff Holt.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/8446551.stm

gravitytolls

24skins wrote: »

Are you seriously suggesting that people who are fit enough to play golf should have their benefits refused? Where does that leave people with Down's Syndrome, severe epilepsy and/or Autism?

Or a bloke with a spinal injury, arthritis etc. Advice is always to keep active, partake in some form of exercise, move the joints. Now, if you can manage 18 holes daily, you're probably not disabled, but once or twice a week? Who's to say the following days are not spent eaten up with pain? Which is why some on I B can do some work, but probably not full time.